Burma: should British holiday makers visit?

Burma: should British holidaymakers visit?
Dave Cameron is to make an historic visit to Burma on Friday. Should British tourists be following in his footsteps?

David Cameron is to make an historic visit to Burma on Friday. He will become the first western leader in a generation to visit the country. His decision comes after the National League for Democracy, the party of Aung San Suu Kyi, won 43 seats in parliament in the first democratic elections for more than 50 years.

What do you think? Should tourists be following in the Prime Minister's footsteps? Is tourism to Burma ethical? Should Britons be practicing small-scale tourism to the country, rather than travelling with large tour operators? How can this be achieved?

Having previously opposed tourism to Burma, Ms Suu Kyi relaxed her position last year, and said that low-key "individual tourism" would be welcomed. Her shift in attitude was first revealed in August 2011 by Telegraph Travel. Following the announcement, visitor numbers to Burma have soared, with reports of a shortage of tour guides and hotel rooms in Rangoon (Yangon), where facilities for tourism are still rudimentary. An increasing number of package operators are adding the country to their brochures.

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South hall travel- Which was your best holiday?

South hall travel- Which was your best holiday?

I always try to go somewhere historic in Britain at Easter with my partner [David L Williams, a filmmaker] and our three children. Last year we stayed in a really lovely b & b near Hadrian’s Wall and felt really free; there was nobody there and it was absolutely stunning. We’d walk the wall in the daytime with a lunch the b & b had packed. We’d think we’d done brilliantly, but after hours of walking we’d find out how far we’d gone and it would turn out to be a mile and a half or something! It was up and down, but it didn’t matter. It was fantastic.

I discovered Northumberland fairly recently – the beaches there are so beautiful, and it’s like the Fifties up there: unspoilt and with very few people. Easter’s good for holidaying in England; we seem to get the warm weather then, and a rainy summer.

What do you need for a perfect holiday?

A camper van and the open road. I just love the feeling of “We’re off!” We did own one until recently, but we’ve outgrown it. We hire them now because the big ones are very expensive. I had a lot of caravanning holidays when I was young with my parents and have very happy memories, and this is me trying to replicate that.

What do you always take with you?

A washing line and pegs, a tin opener and a couple of books for each of us. We take Scrabble or Boggle or Bananagrams, probably all three. Lately we’ve quite got into Carcassonne, a game where you build a medieval city out of tiles. We get really into our games and then we go off them, so it’s good to have a few.

What’s your best piece of travel advice?

Always have double the number of pairs of knickers of the days you’re away, because anything can happen. You don’t want to get caught short.

Where would you like to go next?

Somewhere in Britain within an hour of home. I think Britain is very underrated as a holiday destination. I’d like to do things like walk the Ridgeway through Oxfordshire. I think we might do a bit of canoeing and camping in the Wye Valley next.

Freshly honed after the successful first trip, we present a tour to some of the best-preserved Roman cities in the world, lying abandoned in dramatic terrain in one of the least-visited of countries. The museums contain breath-taking surprises, with artefacts and mosaics of the finest quality. The infrastructure for visitors is new and all tours to Algeria are escorted by a police presence.

Pinpoint travel

Pinpoint travel
What's been the biggest packing mistake you've made?

I'm not bad at packing, and if anything I would say underpacking is my fault. I'm quite minimalist, but sometimes I pack in a rush, so I forget essential things that I then have to go out and buy or borrow. I like to believe I can just throw together a bag the day before I'm due to leave, but really I think being better prepared is the way to go. Having said that, if I had days to plan I'd probably end up taking too much.

Which is the worst hotel you've stayed in?

I've stayed in lots over the years, many of which I've tried to blot from memory, but the worst was probably that one in Delhi in 1997. Back then I was considerably poorer, so I stayed in rather grotty places that I wouldn't want to set foot in again. You name it, I saw it – bugs, cockroaches... plus there was no air con.
Pinpoint travel
What do you avoid on holiday?

Going away without a plan is my idea of a nightmare. I always read about where I'm going to ensure that once I arrive I have some sort of skeleton of what I want to do and see, especially if I'm not meeting someone familiar with the area to show me around. I think it's great to go somewhere where someone knows the place and you can steer clear of all the things that aren't going to work. Search out someone who knows you and your taste.
Freshly honed after the successful first trip, we present a tour to some of the best-preserved Roman cities in the world, lying abandoned in dramatic terrain in one of the least-visited of countries. The museums contain breath-taking surprises, with artefacts and mosaics of the finest quality. The infrastructure for visitors is new and all tours to Algeria are escorted by a police presence.